Collapsible box.



s. MODERN.

v GOLLAPSIBLE BOX. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8, 1910.

Patented Dec.- 27, 1910.

ATM/M1578 S. MODERN.

GOLLAPSIBLE BOX, APPLICATION FILED FEB. a, 19 10.

979,877. Patented Dec.27,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNE 1 4? WITNESSES:

S. MODERN. GOLLAPSIBLE BOX. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8, 1910.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

SAMUEL MODERN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GOLLAPSIBLE BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910. 4

Application filed February 8, 1910. Serial No. 542,727.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL MODERN, a subject of Austria-Hungary,residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Collapsible Box, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in collapsible boxes.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved box ofthis type which may be readily set up in position for use and collapsedinto a small and compact bundle when not in use.

Another object is to provide a box of this class which will be light inweight and at the same time strong and durable.

A further object is to provide a box of this class-which will be simplein construction and economical in manufacture so that it may be roducedat a very low cost.

Other ob ects will appear from the hereinafter description.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction andarrangement of parts which will be hereinafter described in thespecification and pointed out in the claims.

A desirable embodiment of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which the reference characters of thespecification indicate the corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved box set up in position foruse. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the box taken on the line 2 ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the box in collapsed position.Fig. 4 is a plan view of the bottomof the box. Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of one of the cleats for securing the ends and sides to the bottomof the box. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the securing bandswhich fit over the projecting ends of the bottom, sides and top of thebox. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the means for locking said band inposition. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the detachable cleatswhich are used for securing the top of the box in place. Fig. 9 is aperspective view of one of the locking members for locking said cleatsin position on the box. Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view showing howsaid cleats are locked by said locking members. Fig. 11 is a view of oneof the staples for securlng the sides and ends of the box rigidlytogether before the top is put on. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of amodified form of my improved box. Fig. 13 is a plan view of the bottomof the box shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of amodification.

The box is made up of several independent sections, A, B, C and D, whichrespectively form the bottom, ends, sides and top of the box. Each ofsaid sections preferably comprises a frame 1, formed by the rails 2 and3 and-the brace 4, which are glued, nailed or secured together in anysuitable manner, to the inner surface of which is secured a sheet ofthin material 5, which may be wood, fiber, metal, pasteboard, paper orany other suitable material. At the ends of the bottom of the box arelocated the cleats, 6, each of which comprises the intermediate member 7and the flanges 8 and 9 respectively, which extend at right angles fromthe member 7 The cleat is preferably secured to the bottom of the box bymeans of the nail or screw driven through the flange 8 and into theframe 1. The memher 7 of the cleats rests against the end of the bottomA, while the flanges 9 rest above the upper surface of said bottom at adistance sufficient to permit thelower railof the frames 1 of the ends Bof the box to be inserted under the flanges.

The bottomA of the box is provided with end projections 10; the sides Care provided with end projections 11. and 12 while the top D is providedwith projections 13 so that when the box is set up in position for usethe projections 11 of the sides of the box register with the projections10 of the bottom thereof and the projections 13 of the top of the boxregister with the projections 12 of the sides thereof. Securing bands 14fit over the projections 10 and 11 and secure the sides 'to the bottomof the box while similar bands 15 fit over the projections 12 and 13 andsecure the top to the sides of the box. Each of the cleats 14 isprevented from slipping off of the projections by means of a lockingmember 22 consisting of a flat piece of flexible material, which fitsbetween the rails 2 and 3 of the side C, of. the box and has its innerend bent at right angles against the surface of the rail 3 to prevent itfrom pulling out, while its outer end extends between the projection 12and the inside of the band 15 and is bent ar0und 119 the outside of theband. The cleats 14 are secured in position on the projections '10 and11 by locking members 21 similar to the locking members 20. The cleats 6and the bands 14: and 15 are generally sufficient to hold the parts ofthe box together but when an extra strong box is desired additionalcleats 25 may be used. These cleats are somewhat similar to the cleats6, comprising the intermediate member 26 and the flanges 27 and 28 whichextend at right angles from said intermediate member. The flange 28 isprovided with an opening 29 to receive the cars 30 of the locking member31, which is secured to any of the rails 2 or 3 of the top, sides, endsof bottom of the box. The other flange 27 of said cleat engages the edgeof the rail against which rests the rail to which said locking member issecured as clearly shown in Fig. 9 of the drawing. When the cleat isthus placed on the box the ears 30 which extend through the opening 29in the flange 28, are bent over both sides of said opening on to theflange as clearly shown in Fig. 10 of the drawing. These cleats may beplaced at various points along the rails 2 and 3 and as many may be usedas conditions require. Before the top is put on the box, and especiallywhen the box is being packed, the sides and ends of the box may be heldrigidly together at their upper corners by means of staples 35, the ends36 of which fit in holes 37 formed in the rails 2 and 3 of the ends Band sides C respectively.

In the modification shown in Figs. 12 and 13 of the drawings theprojections 10, 11, 12

and 13 and the bands 14 and 15 are dispensed with and the sides C of thebox are held in position by the cleats 6, while the top D is held inposition entirely by the cleats 25.

In the modification shown in Fig. 14, the bottom, ends, sides and top ofthe box are each made in one solid piece and the ends and sides areprovided with slots 40 to receive the flanges 9 and 27 of the cleats 6and 25, respectively.

The box is assembled in the following man ner: The ends B of the box arefirst placed on the bottom A, with the outer face of the rails 2 restingagainst the members 7 of the cleats (3 and the flanges 9 of said cleats,engaging the upper face of said rails; the sides C are then placed onthe bottom A, with the projections 11 of said sides regis tering withthe projections 10 of the bottom; the bands 14 are then slipped oversaid proj ections and the ends of the locking members 21 are bent overthe edges of said bands; the staples 35 are then placed in position atthe upper corners of the sides and ends of the box; the top D is thenplaced on the upper edges of the ends 13 and sides C, with theprojections 13 of the top registering with v the projections 12 of thesides; the bands 15 are then slipped over said projections and the endsof the locking member 20 are bent over the edges of said bands; thecleats 25 are then placed in position. In assembling the box shown inFig. 12 the sides C are placed in position before the ends. The box isnow completely assembled and the parts are held rigidly and firmlytogether without the use of nails, screws, cord or other objectionablefastening means.

It may here be noted that the words top, bottom, sides, ends, upper, andlower, inner and outer are relative terms and merely for convenience inthe foregoing description. It is quite immaterial in what position thebox may rest or what position the parts may assume with relation to thebox.

I do not limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement of partsherein shown and described, as it is obvious that variations andmodifications may be made without dcparting from the spirit of theinvention.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. A box comprising a bottom, ends and sides, means for securing saidends to said bottom, projections on said bottom, projections on saidsides registering wit-h said bottom projections, bands fitting over saidprojections and securing said sides to said bottom and means forsecuring the upper edges of the sides and ends of the box together.

2. A box comprising a bottom, sides, ends, means for securing said endsto said bottom, projections on said-bottom, projections on said sidesregistering with said bottom projections, bands fitting over saidprojections and securing said sides to said bottom, means for lockingsaid bands on said projections, and means for securing the upper edgesof said sides and ends together.

3. A box comprising a bottom, sides and ends, means for securing saidends to said bottom, projections on said bottom, projections on saidsides, registering with said bottom projections, locking members securedto the box, comprising strips of flexible material, bands fitting oversaid projections and said strips, said strips having their ends bentover the edges of said bands to lock said bands in position on saidprojections, and means for securing the upper edges. of said sides andends together.

1. A box composed ofa plurality of sections, a projection on one of saidsections, a projection on another of said sections registering with theaforesaid projection, a looking member secured to one of said sectionscomprising a strip of flexible material, a band surrounding saidprojections and said strip to secure said projections together, saidstrip having its end bent over the edge of said band to lock said bandin position'on said projections.

5. In a box comprising a plurality of sections, a projection on one ofsaid sections, a projection on another of said sections, registeringwith the aforesaid projection, a band fitting over said projections andsecuring said sections together, and means for looking said band on saidprojections.

(3. A box composed of a plurality of sections, a projection on one ofsaid sections, a projection on another of said sections registering withthe aforesaid projection, and a band surrounding said projections andsecuring said sections together.

7. In a box composed of a plurality of sections, a cleat comprising anintermediate member and inturned flanges, one of said flanges having anopening formed therein, a locking member secured to one of said sectionsand provided with flexible ears extending through said opening and bentdown on said flange to lock the cleat on said section, the other flangeof the cleat engaging the other section whereby the two sections aresecured together.

8. In a box composed of a plurality of sections, means for securing theend and side sections to the bottom of the box, the upper corners ofsaid side and and sections being provided with holes, a staple theprojecting ends of which are adapted to fit in said holes and hold theupper edges of said sides and ends together.

9. In a box composed of a plurality of sections, means for securing theend sections to the bottom of the box, means for securing the sidesections to the bottom of the box, projections at the upper edges ofsaid side sections, projections on the top section registering with theaforesaid projections, bands surrounding said projections and securingsaid sides and top together.

10. In a box comprising a plurality of sections, each section comprisinga frame formed by edge rails and a sheet of thin material secured to theinner surface of each of said frames, cleats secured to the bottomsections of the box, said cleats having inturned flanges engaging thelower rails of said frames to secure the end sections to said bottomsection, projections on said bottom and said side sections, bandssurrounding said projections and securing said sides to said bottomprojections on said side and top sections, and bands surrounding saidsections and securing said top to said sides.

SAMUEL MODERN.

IVitnesses:

J. L. RosENWAssER, I JACOB Wnrss.

